Show us your lathe?

[Akzle]

this months edition of "The Shed" has an article about an NZ designed and made three phase motor starter www.fastec.co.nz

420v caps are fucking expensive.

[Ocean1]

No it doesnt have gearbox?

Just because you can see both ends of the headstock main shaft doesn't mean it's joined in the middle, dude, there's hope yet.

And if you do require the services of a gearbox you could do a lot worse than a 1ph fed VFD driving a cheap as chips 3ph motor driving a 5 speed scooter gearbox which drives the headstock.

A mate has a workshop not connected to the grid. He has a monster DSG along one wall with a belt heading through the wall to the back wheel of a Massy Fergusson 135 buried in concrete.

[The Reibz]

this months edition of "The Shed" has an article about an NZ designed and made three phase motor starter www.fastec.co.nz

My mum gets me a sub for that every xmas.
Can't find a price for that unit but I imagine it would be fucken expensive

[speights_bud]

Just because you can see both ends of the headstock main shaft doesn't mean it's joined in the middle, dude, there's hope yet.

And if you do require the services of a gearbox you could do a lot worse than a 1ph fed VFD driving a cheap as chips 3ph motor driving a 5 speed scooter gearbox which drives the headstock.

A mate has a workshop not connected to the grid. He has a monster DSG along one wall with a belt heading through the wall to the back wheel of a Massy Fergusson 135 buried in concrete.

Got an uncle who's a long time sparkie at a big site around here who is hunting out a VFD for me, He's pretty sure there is a half doz stashed at his work somewhere. Now that would be choice, fingers crossed.

It had never occurred to me to use a stand alone/Bike gearbox...

[Tazz]

We've got 5 or so kicking aboot.

This get's a fair bit of use. 3 phase converter hides behind it, which wasn't cheap but means you can move the gear without having to faff around getting 3 phase hooked up (also avoid the extra line charges)


Wee bits on top are some pearl processing odds and sods the boss is putting together for the latest experiment...


...which are being used on this one.
You can see the motor for the modified watchmakers lathes that get used daily behind it.

[speights_bud]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...e7c52b5ec8.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...dd6057fcb3.jpg

Well I have returned from welly wit the lathe +extras. Lots of stuff, emphasis on stuff, big score was the vfd from uncle in law and shielded cables etc to run it all. Some micrometers which have seen better days and some huge callipers. Also a Moore and Wright bore micrometer set which must have cost a small fortune to have as personal tools. All imperial gear of course. Waiting for some extra muscle to arrive to help unload the lathe itself

[paturoa]

Doe anyone have a (cheap) small metal lathe they want to sell?

I've lost count over the years when I could have used one.

[Akzle]

Doe anyone have a (cheap) small metal lathe they want to sell?

I've lost count over the years when I could have used one.

define "small"
jewellers lathe? or 900 bed?

they come up on trademe with surprising regularity for less than a grand. stick with non-chinese shit, i recommend belt fed over gearhead, insert tooling over steel, and at VERY least power long feed, if not cross. i also recommend 3phase over single, but that's just because i hug trees and shit.

[paturoa]

define "small"
jewellers lathe? or 900 bed?

they come up on trademe with surprising regularity for less than a grand. stick with non-chinese shit, i recommend belt fed over gearhead, insert tooling over steel, and at VERY least power long feed, if not cross. i also recommend 3phase over single, but that's just because i hug trees and shit.

Not jewellers. Around 500 centres would be good.

[pete-blen]

Not jewellers. Around 500 centres would be good.

The first spec to look at is the Dia of the spindal bore...
90% of your machineing will be done with in 200/300mm of the chuck...
My lathe is only 600 centres but has a 40mm bore..
the bore dia govens so much of what you can do...
If you do want to machine a long shaft between centres you need to beable
to get it though the chuck to put a centre in it for the live centre..
more often than not you are going to be machineing the ends of a shft not the centre
so yer need to beable to get it though the bore...

this infictation about long bed lengths is a non issue really...

[paturoa]

this infictation about long bed lengths is a non issue really...

Length envy?

Edit" mmmmm http://www.trademe.co.nz/business-fa...-781863116.htm

[bogan]

Length envy?

Edit" mmmmm http://www.trademe.co.nz/business-fa...-781863116.htm

He's right though, 28mm bore isn't too bad though, can do a lot with 25mm round bar.

[pete-blen]

If yer budget can stretch this far...

600 centres , 320 swing , 38mm bore , power feeds in both directions...

https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rc...U74w77P8x-S0jA

[Flip]

I have never used a cheepie chineese hoby lathe, I suppose they would be OK. I have a ML7 Myford. I got it with every tool any engineer could want. Twice now I have taken work away to my work (Im the eng mgr) because it was too big for the wee lathe. Apart from this its been brillant accurate and a pleasure to use.

[bogan]

I got it with every tool any engineer could want.

Have the DRO, quick change toolpost, and selectable drive/threading gearboxes since fallen off then?